Mr. Chow, Dojo, and Other Biggies So Flunked Their Health Inspections

Clearly, the toilet at this place just wasn’t up to par.Photo: Andrea Gingerich
Taking an active interest as we do in hygiene, we keep an eye on the New York Health Department’s restaurant-inspection site. Usually, it’s outer-borough taco joints and the like that flunk their tests. We were surprised today, however, to find a few big names cited for everything from suspect shellfish to — something worse than supect —rats.

• Did that big plaster nose in the window sneeze? Trattoria dell’Arte, a favored neighbor to Carnegie Hall, got hit with eleven violations, ranging from a sinister “general” to an all-too-specific “shellfish not from approved source.”Full report: Trattoriadell’Arte

• The plutocratic crowds don’t much mind the prices at Mr. Chow — nor has the quality of the food ever really bothered them. Still, bare-handed employees coupled with no soap by the sink adds up to a failed health inspection.Full report: Mr.Chow

• Manhattan restaurants don’t get much more romantic than Café des Artistes, the classy French date restaurant on Central Park West. Unless you take into account inadequate plumbing and other violations.Full report: Café desArtistes